What Expats Should Know about Living in Toronto, Canada?

by Georgina Vazquez
(Toronto, Canada)

In which city are you living?

Toronto

What is the spoken language, and how much local language do you need to know for daily living?

English is the main language and you so need to speak it as Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. There are people from all over the world and English is the common language.

This being said, because of its multiculturalism it is easy to find other people from your country that can speak your native language if your English is not good enough.

How is the weather?

Summers are very hot and humid and winters are very cold with lots of snow. That's basically it, Spring and Fall are very short really...

Is this a good city for families/singles/couples?

Toronto is a great place for anyone! It offers a great variety of activities and in general, it is very safe.

How are the preschool and daycares?

Daycare in Canada is quite expensive and, specifically in Toronto, the demand is huge, for some daycares you have to be in a waiting list and it sometimes takes even 1 year or more to get a spot.

Any after school activities?

Yes, there are a lot of before and after school programs

How is the healthcare?

Canada offers public healthcare to anyone who comes with a work permit or residency. If you come as a student it's better to get health insurance to cover for any expense.

Is it a pet friendly city?

It is super pet friendly. In fact I found myself having a pet can help you make lots of friends!

Is household help easy to find?

It is definitely easy to find but it is not cheap


How is the traffic and the public transportation (buses, trains, taxis)?

Public transportation within the city is the best way to go from one place to another. The subway covers a lot of ground and plus the bus lines are also very efficient.

How is the communication - Cell/land phone, T.V/Cable/Satelite, Internet connection, international calls?

There are 2 major companies for these services, both are good.

What is the dress code to work and in public?

The dress code to work is quite conservative, but it also depends on the industry and company that you work for. In general, men wear a tie and women wear high heels.

In public it is more relaxed and casual

How is shopping for groceries, household items and clothing?

There are lots of different shops in the city to choose from.

Tell us about sport, entertainment, night life, restaurants.

The city offers a great variety of events and entertainment. It will probably take a few months for you to visit all the interesting places (museums, art galleries, etc.) there are in Toronto.

How is the expats community?

Canada is very open to receiving immigrants and expats, the government supports all sorts of organizations for newcomers. They offer free courses on how to find a job, English, cross-cultural, etc.

Any other comments?

Toronto is a great place to live in, it won't take very long for you to start feeling at home

Thanks to Georgina Vazquez-Mellado for providing great tips for expats about life in Toronto.

Georgina has created a ning network called Let's Talk Languages an open space to discuss intercultural diversity and languages.